South Bronx residents received donation of Chromebooks
Photo credit: S:US
Audrey George-Owens, S:US’ Regional Director, spoke with Jason Cohen, a Bronx Times reporter about the donation of free Chromebooks to 75 tenants in its supported housing residence.
While many Bronxites are shuttered home for the foreseeable future because of COVID-19, many of them lack the proper technological resources to communicate, socialize and do school work.
Well, one nonprofit noticed this and on May 14, Services for the UnderServed (S:US), one of New York’s largest providers of social services and low income and affordable housing, has partnered with Capital One via Dunn Development, to provide free Chromebooks to 75 tenants in its Behavioral Health supported housing residence in the Bronx. The distribution was held at the Marcy Sheridan apartments, 201 Marcy Place, on May 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Chromebooks will be distributed along with free internet for five years and free digital education training with an organization called EveryoneOn. Any tenant who is interested in the training will obtain digital education that ranges from basic skills, such as creating a Gmail account to video conferencing and writing resumes. This partnership with Capital One is a pilot program the bank is establishing called the Capital One Digital Access Program, (CODA) with the goal to bridge the digital divide among low income individuals and families.
Regional Director of S:US Audrey George-Owens said the nonprofit has been constantly checking on the well-being of its clients during the pandemic and has handed out masks, gloves and food. Ultimately, their goal is to help as many people as possible.
“Our community largely consists of our clients that we serve on a daily basis,” she said. “We’ve been doing everything in our capability to support them.”
S:US, a 42-year old New York City nonprofit with 2,400 staffers provides affordable housing, shelter, tele-psychiatry, addiction and eviction services, access to 44 urban farms and support for the behavioral and developmental health of families, veterans, battered women and the homeless.
For information on how S:US is helping thousands of New Yorkers during the pandemic, please visit https://sus.org/sus-helps-thousands-of-new-yorkers-during-covid-19-crisis/.
Click here for information on S:US supported and low-income housing.